Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said on Monday his country will continue efforts to strengthen a truce in the Palestinian Gaza Strip despite Israel's insistence on releasing its captive soldier Gilad Shalit before any truce, the state MENA news agency reported.

Mubarak made the pledge in an interview with the Bahrain TV after meeting with Bahrain's King Sheikh Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa in Manama, where he paid a hours long visit earlier in the day.

"The release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit is a separate issue and cannot be linked to the truce," Mubarak was quoted as saying.

Earlier on Sunday, Israel's outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert vowed that he would not bring any ceasefire plan to the government that did not include Shalit's return.

Egypt's stance toward the truce remained unchanged, vowed Mubarak.

The Egyptian president, meanwhile, urged for Palestinian reconciliation, saying the Palestinian problem "cannot be solved in view of the current Palestinian division."

He was confident about the success of the Egypt-hosted inter-Palestinian dialogue, scheduled for February 22, saying the dialogue will succeed "because we seek the legitimate rights."

Mubarak also exchanged views with the Bahrain king on ways of stepping up bilateral relations, which Mubarak described as strong and "fraternal", according to MENA.